Milk carton



J. E. MORGAN ETAL 3,123,278

March 3, 1964 MILK CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1, 1962 Jake E Morgan Orville D. Schoo/cmfi INVENTORS Y Qua March 1964 J. E. MORGAN ETAL 3,123,278

MILK CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1962 M w J m. W mm m mm 3 M M E 5 e0 M Y J... B W W f 0 M a .w t KN QKN United States Patent 3,123,278 MILK CARTON Jake E. Morgan, 127 S. 7th St., Blythe, Calif., and Orville D. Schoolcroft, 3-14 S. Kendrick, Flagstaff, Ariz. Filed Mar. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 176,565 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-52) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in paper milk, etc., cartons, particularly although by no means necessarily, those of the larger capacities, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a one-piece container of this character comprising novel integral handles whereby the handling of said container is greatly facilitated, permitting its use in the manner of a pitcher.

Another highly important object of the present invention is to provide an improved carton of the aforementioned character wherein all portions thereof which are subjected to added strain by the weight of the content during handling will be materially strengthened or reinforced.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a milk, etc., carton of the character described which includes additional insulation but which requires substantially no additional space for storage, for example, in a refrigerator.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved milk, etc., carton which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the improved carton constituting the present invention is formed;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the carton, showing the handles in folded or inoperative position;

FIGURE 3 is a view in horizontal section through the carton, showing the handles in open or operative position; and

FIGURE 4 is a view in vertical section through the carton with the handles in open or operative position.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a blank of suitable dimensions and material which is designted generally by reference numeral 5. The blank 5 is formed to provide a front wall or panel 6, a back wall or panel 7 and side walls or panels 8. The side walls or panels 8 are joined to the back wall or panel 7 by score or fold lines 9. A similar score or fold line If) joins the front wall or panel 6 to the adjacent side wall or panel 8.

Formed integrally with the front wall or panel 6 of the blank 5 is an insulating and reinforcing liner in the form of an extension 11 which is joined to said front wall or panel by a score or fold line 12. The extension 11 includes parallel score or fold lines 13 and 14 which divide said extension into sections or panels 15, 16 and 17. As shown to advantage in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, when the carton is erected the sections 15 and 17 of the liner 11 oppose and are adhered to the side walls 8 and the intermediate section 16 of said liner opposes and is adhered to the back wall 7 of said carton. The blank 5 further includes a foldable top portion 18 which is sub- Ice stantially similar to the corresponding portion of the carton or container constituting the subject matter of US. Patent No. 2,750,095, issued June 12, 1956, in that it comprises foldable portions 19 and 20 providing a foldable or collapsible pouring spout 21 and which correspond to the portions 60 and 61, respectively, of the pouring spout 76 of said patent.

From the fold lines 9 the side Walls 8 of the carton are slitted as indicated at 22 in a manner to provide foldable substantially C-shaped handles 23 having in intermediate portions thereof thumb notches or recesses 24. The construction and arrangement, it will be noted, is such that the fold lines 9 provide common means for connecting the panels or walls 7 and 8 and for hinging the handles 23.

It is thought that the use of the improved carton will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the blank 5, which also includes suitable bottom closure flaps 25, is folded and adhered in the usual manner. When the carton is thus erected the handles 23 are recessed in and flush with the side walls of said carton as shown to advantage in FIGURE 2 of the drawing. To open the handles 23 for use a thumb or fingernail is engaged therebeneath in the notches or recesses 24. The handles 23 are then swung rearwardly on their hinges or pivots 26 to convergent position behind the back wall 7 of the carton where said handles may conveniently be gripped in one hand by the user. The construction and arrangement is such that minimum gripping action is required to retain the carton against lateral swinging movement. Also, the carton may be readily lifted and tilted forwardly for dispensing the milk in the manner of a pitcher when the pouring spout 21 is open. When the handles 23 are not needed said handles may be readily returned to folded or inoperative position in the recesses 27 in the side walls of the carton. In addition to closing the recesses or openings 27 left in the side walls 8 of the carton when the handles 23 are struck therefrom, the liner 11 provides additional insulation for the content and materially strengthens said carton at the points where the most strain occurs during handling.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A carton of paperboard or the like comprising a back wall and side walls joined to said back wall by fold lines, said side walls having spaced slits extending thereinto from the fold lines and defining foldable handles swingable laterally and rearwardly on said fold lines to a convergent operative position centrally behind said back wall, said carton further comprising a front wall integral with one of the side walls, and a reinforcing and insulating liner integral with said front wall and comprising a plurality of sections joined by fold lines and extending in opposed relation to the back and side walls and adhered to the inner faces thereof.

2. A carton in accordance with claim 1, said handles being generally C-shaped, said side walls and the respective liner sections defining, in conjunction with each other, generally C-shaped recesses for receiving the handles when in folded position.

3. A carton blank of paperboard or the like comprising front, back, and side panels and fold lines connecting said panels, a foldable top structure integral with the panels, foldable bottom flaps integral with said panels,

said side panels having spaced slits therein terminating at the junctures thereof With the back panel and defining generally C-shaped handles swingable on said junctures, and a liner on the front panel comprising sections adapted to be folded into opposed relation to the side and back panels.

4. A carton in accordance With claim 2 including an enlarged fingernail receiving recess in each handle for enabling a grasping and unfolding of the handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wheeler May 16, 1950 LiebenoW Nov. 17, 1953 Hill July 7, 1959 Munkachy May 10, 1960 Kieckhefer June 6, 1961 Chase Oct. 10, 1961 

1. A CARTON OF PAPERBOARD OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A BACK WALL AND SIDE WALLS JOINED TO SAID BACK WALL BY FOLD LINES, SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING SPACED SLITS EXTENDING THEREINTO FROM THE FOLD LINES AND DEFINING FOLDABLE HANDLES SWINGABLE LATERALLY AND REARWARDLY ON SAID FOLD LINES TO A CONVERGENT OPERATIVE POSITION CENTRALLY BEHIND SAID BACK WALL, SAID CARTON FURTHER COMPRISING A FRONT WALL INTEGRAL WITH ONE OF THE SIDE WALLS, AND A REINFORCING AND INSULATING LINER INTEGRAL WITH SAID FRONT WALL AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY 